Love is Truly Blind
by KazunaPikachu
Summary: -OneShot- Something very valuable and special was suddenly taken away from Kagome; her sight. And she can never get it back. But there is just one person who might be able to make her 'see' again. -InuKag-


Love is Truly Blind

**Love is Truly Blind**

.x.l.o.v.e.x.m.e.x.j.u.s.t.x.l.o.v.e.x.f.o.r.x.m.e.x.

"I'm so sorry,"

She continued to cry, giving no acknowledgements to the distressed hanyou that spoke. With her fists pressed tightly on her eyes, she let the tears fall rapidly, distraught sobs escaping her trembling lips. "It burns," she cried, refusing to open her eyes for the sheer pain was enough to make her want to scream. "Inuyasha, help me! It burns!" she yelled, flinched away until she withdrew herself into a tight ball.

"Calm down, Kagome," Inuyasha tried, panicked. He picked up the fragile young woman and began to speed off towards camp. The remains of the snake youkai lay in pieces behind him, its blood, mixed with dangerous venom, bubbled.

"I-Inuyasha, it hurts," she whimpered pitifully. Through her fists something purple could be seen, trying to squeeze their way through her fingers. She wailed, the venom biting at the sensitive tissues in her eyes. She couldn't feel the wind through her hair as Inuyasha carried her, nor could she hear the pathetic attempts he tried in soothing her. All she could feel was the terrible pain in her eyes, the purple dots flying around her vision mixed with the dreadful colour of black.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Inuyasha arrived back at camp. The others looked up, surprised at the speed their friend was running at. But their surprise left to be replaced by concern and worry as they took in the state of their dearest friend. "Kagome!" Sango shouted, standing up and completely forgetting about her meal. "What happened to you?" she asked breathless, staring as fear crept into her being as she watched the young woman cry.

"A snake youkai's poison sprayed into her eyes," Inuyasha explained hurriedly, placing her on a reasonably clean patch of ground. "We need to hurry. We need to clean the poison out and Kaede's place is too far away," he alerted them, the dread in his voice calling out to everyone.

Miroku immediately shot up and ran towards Kagome's horrendously huge yellow back-pack as Shippo retreated to get the water. Soon enough, everyone was fussing over the girl who continued to keep her fists in her eyes, refusing to open them. Inuyasha could already smell the burns on her being and his heart rate quickened. "Hurry up, fools!" he yelled angrily, hidden panic in his tone.

They tried to get Kagome's fists away from her eyes but she just wouldn't budge, screaming out in pain whenever they tried to do so. It took Inuyasha and Sango to keep her hands in place as Miroku inspected her still shut eyes. Tears poured forth in anguish, the infected area slightly turning purple. "Please, Kagome-sama, I need you to open your eyes," he whispered smoothly, belying the apprehension that grew inside him. When she didn't comply, Miroku asked again, Shippo crying worriedly beside him. "Kagome-sama, please. You've got to give it a shot," he said, his voice a tiny bit softer than before.

Reluctantly, Kagome tried to open her eyes. But even the slightest movement of her eyelids gave a burning sensation, making her yell out loud. The pain was enormous and she struggled against her friends' hold, trying to cover up her exposed and fiery eyes. "The… Painkillers," she whispered through clenched teeth. "Now!"

Immediately, Shippo fetched the tablets and placed them in her mouth. She swallowed it with the help of water the kitsune offered. The pain was still there, alive and relentless. It wasn't until a few minutes later did she begin to relax, tension seeping out of her body as she succumbed into a numbing sleep.

Releasing her arms, Inuyasha and Sango looked down at her worriedly. Miroku gently opened her eyelids, forcing himself not to flinch back. The whites of her eyes were red, her pupils dilated and her iris was a horrific purple. The skin around her eyes were burned, slightly tinged with green. Carefully as to not wake the girl, they set on cleaning the wound as best they can without Kaede's guidance. Once they were done cleaning and trying to get the poison out, they wrapped a cloth around her head, shielding her reddened eyes.

"Do you think…?" Sango started, unable to finish the question as she stared with tender sadness at her long-time friend.

Nodding solemnly, Miroku sighed. "I fear so, Sango," he said, his dull violet eyes staring at Kagome sorrowfully. "I only hope that she will able to accept it."

Inuyasha sat next to her, unable to tear his eyes away from the cloth that hid her beautiful eyes. "It's all my fault," he mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. Yet, the three heard it and looked up at him empathetically. "If only I got to her in time… I could've… She wouldn't…" His fists clenched at their sides, his claws biting into his skin.

"It's not your fault, Inuyasha," Sango said softly, touching the hanyou's arm. "Me and Miroku should have been there. It was foolish of us to tell her to get firewood all by herself,"

"That's true," Miroku said, smiling slightly but it didn't reach his eyes. "If you didn't hear her shout, she could've faired worse."

Shippo said nothing. He only stared at the young miko in front of him, tears pouring out of his eyes.

Unable to take their sympathy and sobs, Inuyasha stood abruptly and ran away from them, climbing onto a thick branch. He sat there, looking regrettably at the sleeping woman-child, thoughts of self-worthlessness spreading through him. _I couldn't even protect her from a stupid snake youkai…_

.x.h.e.a.r.x.m.e.x.j.u.s.t.x.h.e.a.r.x.w.i.t.h.x.m.e.x.

Numbly, she began to wake. _Odd,_ she thought._ Why can't I see anything?_ She sat up, trying to see. But all she saw was darkness. With her hands, she blindly touched her face, feeling a soft cloth over her eyes. She smiled with relief, the sense of fear vanishing. _Thank goodness,_ she thought with slight mirth. _I thought I'd gone blind!_

The most recent events replayed themselves in Kagome's mind's eye and she sighed. Her eyes weren't hurting as much anymore but they still felt sore. _That's probably why I have a piece of cloth wrapped around it,_ she thought reasonably. Still, the stinging sensation from that incident lingered, teasing her tauntingly. Since she couldn't see at the current moment, she told herself that the blackness was because she was looking into a cloth.

Reaching around her head, she felt the knot and began to untie it, wanting to see once more. After all, it should be okay to loosen it now, right? She didn't feel all that bad now. As the cloth became undone, she let it fall to her lap. And yet, she still couldn't see a thing. _What?_ she thought in confusion. She was sure she had her eyes open. She felt herself blink. _That certainly proves they're open, _she thought, growing fear starting to churn in her stomach.

Bringing up her hands, she rubbed them gently. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook her head and opened them again. She was met with the same results; utter darkness. This was where she began to panic. "I-Inuyasha?" she called timidly, blindly throwing off the blanket that was on her. "Sango? Miroku?" she cried, tears stinging her eyes. She still couldn't see anything. "Shippo? Kaede?" she all but yelled, feeling the dampness of her cheeks as she began to cry.

She scrambled out of the warm futon and began to back away, fear and confusion rolling off her like a gigantic wave. She still couldn't see anything and she now heard the shuffling of feet coming closer and closer. With gathering tears, Kagome pushed herself against the wall and hid her face within her arms. Never before had she been so fearful and the person hadn't even said anything yet.

"Kagome, please calm down," a familiar feminine voice spoke.

Kagome immediately recognized it and shot her head up, her grayish eyes with a small, lilac tint trying to see her. "S-Sango, I can't see anything," she said distressed. "W-Where are you? What's going on?" She stretched her hands out, trying to feel the tajiya.

Sango looked down at her friend with sorrow as she knelt down and took her hands in hers. "Hush, Kagome. It's going to be alright," she said, watching as she continued to cry.

Feeling the closeness, Kagome moved forward, clumsily embracing her. The older woman returned the hug without remorse. "I-It's because of that snake youkai, isn't it?" she whispered through hiccups. "I'm b-blind now, aren't I? My eyes are open, I know they are." She cried harder, the realization striking her like an arrow. "I won't be able to see the sun anymore," she whispered quietly. She loved the sun…

"It's okay, Kagome. We're still here so stop crying," Sango spoke softly although her own voice began to tremble. Seeing her friend like this, loosing a part of her life, it struck her hard. Especially the torment that was obvious on her face.

But she didn't stop crying as she held the girl closer. "I won't be able to see you anymore," she said quietly, as if telling herself. "Or Miroku. Or Shippo," she said, tears falling down one by one. "Mama, grandpa, Souta… Kaede…" She paused, her eyes widening before she let out a painful wail. "I won't be able to see Inuyasha either," she cried. Just knowing she won't be able to see his golden eyes or his silver hair or his cute little doggy ears made her heart ache. She loved his eyes… Then, something struck her and emptiness engulfed her entire body. "I won't be able to see the Shikon shards anymore either," she said, fear in her voice. She looked up, trying to see Sango's face. But she couldn't. Of course she couldn't. "Will Inuyasha kick me out? Will he send me back to my own time and won't come back for me anymore?" she asked, fear of rejection in her tone. "I'm really useless now. I can't even see the shards now…"

"Stop thinking that," Sango said softly. "You know that Inuyasha won't do that to you. Whether or not you can see, we all care for you as a friend, including him." She paused, still staring at the crying girl. She was not convinced. How could she? With the way he treated her, even the most naïve girl would have some doubts.

Kagome closed her eyes, trying to make herself believe it was all a dream. It was so surreal. Never had she thought that she would go blind. It only happened to other people, not herself. She never ever believed she would be destined to never see. She just loved her sight too much. She didn't even think what would happen if she lost that usually taken for granted sense.

"Sleep now, Kagome," Sango whispered. "You're still tired. Just go to sleep and everything will be fine. Promise."

_No, it won't,_ the miko thought sadly, feeling the tiredness of her body. But nevertheless, she fell asleep in her trusted friend's arms. _I'm so sorry, Inuyasha…_

.x.b.e.x.m.e.x.j.u.s.t.x.b.e.x.w.i.t.h.x.m.e.x.

Weeks passed and Kagome's condition didn't improve. Of course, after the first day, they had immediately rushed to Kaede's. She did her very best to help the girl but it was too late. The poison had already burned out the inner attachments in her eyes. It would never heal. But at least Kagome wasn't so exhausted or distraught anymore. She would talk, smile, and sometimes play word games with the village children. But behind her façade, she truly just wanted to see again. Or, more specifically, see Inuyasha. He hadn't talked to her ever since she woke up and it began to worry her.

_Does he really think I'm useless now?_ she thought in dismay. Then, her spirits saddened. _Of course he does,_ she scolded herself. _You truly __**are**__ useless now. What use am I if I can't even see the jewel shards anymore?_ Unconsciously, she fingered the large fragment hanging from her chest. _Inuyasha should show himself soon,_ she thought. _ After all, I need to go back home… And I probably will never return again, _she thought disheartened. The Sengoku Jidai was too dangerous for a blind miko who possessed the sacred shard of the jewel.

"Kagome-chan? Have you noticed that silver-haired boy over there?" a child asked, pointing towards the forest trees.

But Kagome couldn't see it. "Where, Toboku-kun?" she asked, a slight smile on her face.

"Well, he's in the trees," the village boy said, now remembering she couldn't see. "Before, when you weren't blind, I saw him with you. What's his name again?" he asked his peer.

A girl shrugged. "Inutaka?" she guessed. "All I know is that it starts with Inu," she grinned.

"Oh, you mean Inuyasha," Kagome said, slightly surprised. "How long has he been watching?" she asked curiously. He must be watching from far away then if she couldn't sense him.

"I dunno," the cute boy replied. "But he keeps staring at you like that." He glared at his direction. "Stupid Inubaka," he said. "Why doesn't he come near you anymore?"

At the question, Kagome's heart sank. "Probably because I can't see," she replied softly.

But the children heard it. "No way!" the girl cried. "Who cares if you can't see anymore, Kagome-chan? You're still the same ol' miko I remember," she grinned.

Chuckling under her breath, Kagome lifted an eyebrow and looked at the direction her voice came from. "Oh?" she asked. "Are you calling me old, Nika-chan?" she asked, pretending to scold her.

The two children giggled, seeing through her façade. "No!" the girl yelped with a grin. "You're really pretty, Kagome-chan. Even Toboku-kun said he liked you!" she said cunningly, nudging the boy next to her.

The young villager's face turned beet-red as he glared angrily at her. "What?" he yelled furiously. "Where did you get that idea from?" he asked with embarrassment, his glare contradicting the nervous look on his face.

The girl laughed and began to run away. The boy chased after her in rage, flinging his arms around. But Kagome didn't see the cute little chase as she just followed with her ears. A faint smile adorned her features as she listened, looking up to what she thought was the sun. She could still feel it, the warmth that traveled through her body. She could still hear the rustle of trees and the whispers of the wind. And she could still feel the grass beneath her feet tickling her as they swayed. _I guess it's not that bad,_ she thought quietly to herself. _At least I'm still alive._

But probably not for long. For, as soon as she thought that, she sensed the presence of a youkai. And in that youkai, she felt the familiar pull of a Shikon shard. She may not be able to see them anymore but at least she could still feel them. "Toboku-kun! Nika-chan! Run back to Kaede's hut!" she demanded loudly as she stood up from the rock she was sitting on. The two children stopped, looking over her curiously. "Now!" she yelled, frightened. She could sense the demon getting closer and she knew it was coming for her. She couldn't go with them or else she'll endanger them as well.

Sensing the urgency in her tone, the two children sped off, glancing worried looks towards the miko who just stood there, as tense as ever. Once she couldn't hear the sound of their feet anymore, she turned to the direction she sensed the Shikon jewel. She was scared as hell but she knew she wouldn't get hurt. After all, Inuyasha was watching over her, wasn't he?

It was then that she heard the scraping of metal and she smiled slightly. "Kagome, stay back!" came Inuyasha's voice. "Don't move from that spot!"

And she didn't. It was a weird sensation, just listening to a fight without seeing it. Kagome had grown so used to seeing a bloody battle that she hadn't really paid much mind into actually listening to it. But now that listening was all she could do, it was slightly more calming. At least, for the first bit. Whatever demon it was, it roared and came charging at the hanyou, its heavy feet making the earth beneath her quake.

Inuyasha glared at the demon, lizard to be more precise. And it sure as hell was ugly. Sneering with disgust, Inuyasha charged for it with his blade above him. "Die, you pathetic excuse for a youkai!" he yelled, successfully slicing off one of the youkai's four legs. But, to his slight surprise, it began to regenerate.

"It's got a jewel shard, Inuyasha!" Kagome called from the sidelines.

_You're a bit late,_ he thought. But he couldn't blame her. She couldn't see what was happening. "Where is--" But he stopped himself midway. 'Where is it?' he was about to ask. What a horrible thing to say to her. With his excellent eyesight, he saw her face sadden. She had heard. _I'm so sorry, Kagome,_ he once again thought in regret.

But with the distraction, the lizard youkai painfully clubbed Inuyasha at the stomach with his thick tail. Inuyasha crashed harshly into a tree, splintering it. With an obstacle temporary out of its way, the youkai once again began to advance on the unaware miko.

She could feel it coming closer but she stayed rooted to the spot. It wasn't like she could run, anyway. Where would she run to? She'd most likely run into a tree and make an even more fool of herself. The youkai advanced and so did the jewel shard. With hands clenched at her sides, Kagome squeezed her eyes shut. She had no way of knowing when the thing was going to strike. And that unknown was what truly terrified her.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled angrily, running towards the youkai and effectively slashing at his backside. With a howl, the youkai turned and glared with red-tinted eyes at the hanyou. "Don't you dare mess with her," he growled ferociously, glaring spitefully back. He charged once more and brought his mighty blade down.

But the youkai only regenerated, much to Inuyasha's annoyance. _It's way too close to Kagome,_ he thought worriedly. _I need it to get as far away from her as possible._ He slashed at the youkai again, leaping back after the attack. "You stupid scum," he growled. "You can't even defend yourself, can you?" he taunted.

But the youkai didn't take the bait. It turned and charged straight on towards Kagome. With wide fearful eyes, Inuyasha ran after it, hoping that his speed would be enough to catch it before it caught her. He couldn't even release the Wind Scar, in fear of striking Kagome. He watched in horror as the youkai swung his tail, aiming right for her. _Kagome, for once in your life, please listen without arguing…_ "Kagome, on the ground now!" he yelled.

Kagome was surprised by the command but she fell to the ground just as he said. She didn't know what was happening but the demon was terribly close to her. And she trusted the hanyou with all her heart. Just milliseconds after she ducked, she felt and heard the whooshing sound above her from the youkai's tail. With her heart beating a mile a minute, she closed her eyes, hoping that Inuyasha would get some distance between her and the thing that wanted to beat her.

Relief flowed through him that she was unharmed. But the large youkai was still too close for comfort. Inuyasha growled dangerously and cut the bloody thing in half. The two halves fell onto the ground and Inuyasha leapt to Kagome's side, winding an arm around her waist and pulling her up. She gave a small squeak in surprise, her fear spiking. "Relax, wench," he said gruffly. Almost instantly, she did.

But the battle was far from over. Soon enough, the demon began to stitch itself together again. Wasting no time, Inuyasha released Kagome and held the Tetsusaiga with both hands. "Wind Scar!" he yelled, smashing the sword down onto the ground roughly. The demonic energy flowed through the sword and came blasting out the tip, completely demolishing the demon.

When the energy fizzled out, Kagome knew the youkai was dead. With uncertain steps, she moved forward, heading towards the Shikon shard she sensed. Inuyasha followed behind her, staring with disgust at the mess that was made on the once perfectly green grass. Kneeling, Kagome felt around for the shard and pulled it out, the fragment immediately purifying to a healthy pink glow.

Without another life-threatening event, Inuyasha picked her up bridal style and ran away from the ugly scene. Kagome snuggled closer into his chest, feeling the wind catch in her hair. She let out a sigh, loving the way that Inuyasha was so close to her. She didn't know where they were going but she didn't mind. Finally, they stopped, and Inuyasha let Kagome off. Without another word, he disappeared, leaving Kagome at some place unknown.

"Kagome-chan! There you are! We were worried about you!" a familiar child yelled, hugging Kagome around the legs. "Toboku-kun wanted to get you but I held him back because I didn't think it was safe," the girl informed her. "How did you get here so fast though?" she asked curiously.

A sad smile appeared on her lips as she stared at nothing. Just nothing. "I ran," she simply said.

.x.t.r.u.s.t.x.m.e.x.j.u.s.t.x.t.r.u.s.t.x.i.n.x.m.e.x.

Inuyasha sat on a tree branch, his eyes closed with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He didn't know why he was so reluctant to speak with Kagome. He guessed it was because of shame. Shame that he couldn't protect her from that stupid youkai. It shouldn't have been able to see her, let alone blind her. He sighed. Or perhaps there was another reason. He knew that if he talked to her, things would have to be discussed. And, really, he didn't want her to return to her own time, despite the dangers of his era. With her blindness, she would be more of a hindrance instead of an asset and that would only back up the reason for her to stay in her own time. But…

_I don't want her to leave…_ he thought tiredly. So, he decided to prolong talking to her for as long as he could. As long as he could still see her, still hear her voice, still smell her, he was content with that. But if she were to fully leave his life, he just couldn't bare that.

Despite his attitude towards her, it was mainly because he felt so insecure about himself. Whenever he called her ugly, he believed he was ugly because she looked so beautiful. Whenever he called her stupid, he thought he was stupid because she was so smart. Whenever he said he didn't like her, he knew he only disliked himself for saying it since he loved her.

He looked up, gazing lazily at the blue moon, the stars blinking on and off. Yes, he loved her. He realized that the day she was blinded. The thought of losing her, the thought of not making it in time to save her, it made his heart constrict and his breathing irregular. The one thing he didn't' regret was the fact that she was still alive to live another day.

Suddenly, his ears perked up, catching movement in Kaede's hut. Curious, Inuyasha sat up and stared at the entrance, watching with bewilderment as Kagome stepped out. _What's that wench doing?_ He growled to himself, watching her as she walked slowly away from the hut. _She's blind! What the hell does she think she's going to do?_

So, knowing it wasn't safe to leave her alone, he followed her. It took awhile, because of her slow yet steady steps, but they finally made it to their destination. And when they got there, Inuyasha's eyes widened with surprised. _Why would she go to the Goshinboku at this time of night?_ He thought. _Or, more importantly, how was she able to get here in the first place?_

He heard her sigh as she sat at the base of the tree, leaning back with her eyes closed. Deciding that this was the right time to confront her, seeing as he just couldn't let her sleep there, he jumped off his tree and walked towards the miko. "Wench, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha growled angrily, marching up to her. _Wait until she gets a piece of my mind,_ he thought with narrowed eyes. "You shouldn't be out here at this time of night. You're blind!"

Then, she looked up, a sad, sad smile caressing her face. Inuyasha immediately stopped just a couple of meters away from her, his eyes gazing into her unseeing ones. "I know," she whispered quietly, tears just noticeable in them. "I know I'm blind."

Most of his anger leaving him, he walked towards her softly and sat down opposite her, leaning against the tree. "Then why are you out here?" he asked roughly, his golden eyes staring at the moon above them.

Behind him, Kagome answered. "I wanted to come here," she answered gently. "I don't know why. I just felt the tree calling me."

"But how did you get here?" Inuyasha asked, slightly curious. "I mean, how did you find your way to the tree without crashing into anything?"

A pause. "I told you," she whispered. "The tree called me." Silence dragged on as a breeze swept passed them. Inuyasha heard Kagome's shift as she gently placed her hand upon the tree behind her, without turning around. "I don't know how, or why, but it did," she said. "And I just couldn't ignore it."

Unknowingly mimicking her, Inuyasha placed his own hand on the tree without looking behind him. Whether or not he liked it, they shared a bond through this tree. He could feel a faint amount of holy power running through its veins. Both closed their eyes, letting the peacefulness wash over them as the cool breeze blew passed, letting their hair softly fly. Finally, Inuyasha spoke, breaking the magical silence in the night. "You shouldn't have come here," he said, his tone uncharacteristically soft. "You could've been attacked."

"I know," she said again. "But I knew you were following me. You wouldn't let anything hurt me." Her voice was so quiet, so soft, it was blown away by the gentle wind.

Hearing her words, full of trust and loyalty, Inuyasha moved from his spot to sit down next to her. Kagome heard the movement and turned his head towards him. It sort of saddened him that she wasn't looking directly into his eyes. He also missed the lively chocolate brown it used to be. Now they were gray, slightly lilac. Although, for some odd reason, it didn't make her any less beautiful.

"I'm sorry," she finally said, looking away with her scent one of sadness. "I must make you feel disgusted," she said with a strain, her eyes gathering tears. "You must feel so sick because of me. I can't even see your eyes…"

Scenting the salt, Inuyasha quickly protested. "No!" he yelled, causing her to jump slightly. With a softer tone, he continued. "No. You're not disgusting," he said gently, cupping her cheek so she could turn to look at him. "You look the same as you always do." _Beautiful…_

Kagome sniffled, a frown marring her features. "You're only saying that," she choked. "I bet I have burn scars around my eyes. I bet they're ugly." She closed her eyes, as if to protect him from what she thought was a horrid sight. "I don't even know what colour they are anymore."

Of course, Kagome had no burn scars around her eyes. They have healed and she looked completely normal. The only thing that looked different were the colour of her eyes. "They're gray," he answered her, willing her to open her eyes again. "With a bit of light purple," he smiled slightly. "And they look absolutely dazzling."

Kagome stared wide-eyed at what she thought was Inuyasha. _No way… He didn't just say that,_ she thought with disbelief. It wasn't until she felt his warm hands begin to brush her cheeks did she realize she was crying. "I can't see the sky anymore," she said quietly. "And I can't see you…" Her tears fell more rapidly. "All I see is black. Sometimes I get so confused when there's a lot of noise… I-I can't even see the jewel shards anymore and I can't defend myself against weak youkai…" She paused, looking desperately at him. "Please, Inuyasha, don't send me away," she whispered.

He continued to wipe the tears from her eyes, his touch warm and soothing. He didn't know what to say to that. Although he truly didn't want her to leave, it was probably for the best. She isn't safe here. "Kagome…" he said hesitantly. "I don't think we have much of a choice here," he said reluctantly. "After all, you can't see and it'll only be dangerous for you if you keep traveling with us."

At his words, her tears fell more quickly as she suddenly embraced him, her grip tight. "No!" she yelled. "Please, Inuyasha, please. I don't want to leave. I-I can still sense the jewel shards, even if I can't see them. I'll try my best to do my share of chores in camp. I'll always be with someone so I won't be alone. Just please, Inuyasha, don't throw me away," she cried into his shirt, gripping him as if he was a lifeline. "I'm sorry for being blind," she cried. "I'm so sorry. Just… Just don't leave me alone… Please…"

Her words shocked him and it struck something painful in his chest. He didn't want to leave her, never. But it was for her own safety… And she always came before himself. "It's not your fault, Kagome," he told her. "It was mine. I didn't get there in time. Stop crying, please," he said gently, stroking her hair smoothly.

But it did nothing to comfort her. "Please don't do this," she whimpered. "Please don't send me back home. I lost my sight… I don't want to lose you guys as well…"

Inuyasha pulled back slightly, making her face visible to him. "I'll only place you in danger if I allowed you to come with us," he said sadly. "Please understand Kagome. It's for your own safety."

Suddenly, Kagome pushed him off of her angrily, standing up. "I don't believe you," she hissed angrily, glaring down at his direction as tears continued to spill forth. But seeing as she wasn't making eye contact, she looked a tiny bit less intimidating than she usually did. "Once I can't see the shards anymore, you throw me away like some rotten piece of meat. I bet if I lost my hearing, you probably wouldn't have sent me home, right?" she asked spitefully. "If I lost a leg, you still wouldn't have let me go. Why? Because I could still see those damn shards!" she yelled. "As long as Kagome could see them, she can stay with us. Ha!"

Inuyasha stood as well, wondering what was with the change in mood. "Don't be stupid!" he growled. "If you were deaf, I would've sent you back home too! If you lost a freaking arm I would've forced you down that well! Why can't you see it? It's for your own damn safety!"

"Safety from what?" she asked loudly. "Safety from my duties? Safety from my honor? I can't just let you send me back home! I have a mission to complete and I owe it to everyone I've met to help kill Naraku! Everyone's lost so much more than me. So much more," she said, her voice dying down to a whisper. "Sango's lost her family, Miroku's lost his, Shippo lost his father and mother, you've lost Kikyo… I was lucky I just lost my sight," she stated tenderly. "But even with those losses, they didn't stop their duties, their missions. How can you just expect me to leave my life here behind when so many others have lost so much more and are still fighting?"

Her reason, it made sense in a twisted way. And Inuyasha didn't like it. He just didn't want her to suffer like so many others had. "Even if you could stay here," he said sourly. "How will you keep up when you can't see? You're different from the others. They still have a fighting chance, ways to protect themselves. But if you're blind… You can give the enemy an edge,"

"That's why I've decided," Kagome stated softly, looking at him yet not. "That _you_ will be my eyes."

Her response was so unexpected, Inuyasha almost took a step back in shock. "W-What?" he stuttered. "How can I be your eyes?"

She took a step forward, instinctively wrapping her arms around him in an embrace. "Like that day when that youkai attacked," she whispered against his chest. "You instructed me to duck, and I did. If you hadn't said so, I would've been injured." She looked up, smiling. "I want you to be my eyes, Inuyasha. I want you to tell me what there is to see. I want you to guide me until I've found my way. Please, Inuyasha," she said, her eyes saddening. "I want to see again."

Without knowing it, Inuyasha had become enticed with her pale coloured orbs. He just couldn't look away. "Why me?" was the only thing he was able to say.

A sincere smile reached her lips and, amazingly, it reached her blind eyes. They lit up, despite the fact that they couldn't see a spark of light. "Because," she said with a soft smile, "I trust you with my very soul," she answered. "If you told me to walk forward, I'd walk forward. If we were at the edge of a cliff and you told me to jump off, I would, believing you would catch me," she grinned.

Inuyasha couldn't help the smirk that played upon his face. "Well, that'll be stupid of you," he said arrogantly. "Jumping off a cliff. People would think you were crazy."

She buried herself in his shirt again, loving the smell of wilderness he harbored. "If possible Inuyasha, just please be my eyes," she said. "Be my vision. Without you, I can't help but feel lost and afraid. It's because of you… that I was able to find strength. Please help me find it again."

A thick silence followed and the breeze swept passed once more. The magnificent tree that watched over them was silent and listening. Hooking a claw under her chin, Inuyasha made her look up at him. "You know as hell I will," he said with a sad smirk. "I'm not about to let you walk around with the risk that you might walk into trees."

With a grateful smile, it seemed as if her whole face lit up again. Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat. _Beautiful…_ "Thank you, Inuyasha," she said, leaning forward. And, miraculously, her lips were able to make contact with his. She pulled back, a deep scarlet blush on her cheeks. Too bad that she couldn't see Inuyasha's.

"Feh," Inuyasha dismissed with embarrassment. And yet, his chest swelled up with a feeling he didn't recognize. They stood there a bit longer, under the sightful watch of the God Tree. Then, Inuyasha picked her up and they both slept on one of its branches, loving the warmth the other gave.

To Kagome, Inuyasha was her world. Something she just couldn't live without. Even if her sight was gone, she knew in her heart that Inuyasha would never leave her.

To Inuyasha, Kagome was the colours that filled his world. Something he just wouldn't live without. Even if her sight was gone, he knew that Kagome would never stop filling his world with the colours that made it alive.

The hanyou looked down on her sleeping form, her eyelids closed in a peaceful slumber. Then, he smiled, something true and bright. _Perhaps love truly is blind._

.x.s.e.e.x.m.e.x.j.u.s.t.x.s.e.e.x.f.o.r.x.m.e.x.

KazunaPikachu


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